I laughed out loud reading this. I often joke I used to be somebody. I had 43 years of professional work (the acting and exotic dancing don’t count), 30 of them in high-profile positions. Yeah, I know things. And my other wry joke? I have 43 years of knowledge that no one cares about any more. Now, I could have easily become a consultant or written some books. But, like a petulant child, I don’t want to and you can’t make me. A lifetime of a career where pleasing people was key to success with a HOST of people to please. (I was in non-profit work—there were donors, foundations, government officials, employees and the people we benefited). I am irrationally attached to owning my own time now. I resent deadlines—even self-imposed ones.
To your point, I now tell folks when they tell me I should write a book or a blog (I have Substack and YouTube account names and accounts I’ve never activated!), that I am now the CEO of the full-time travel club that is ME and my husband. I give advice I could charge $1000 a day for away for free to anyone who reaches out. I contribute randomly with stuff I know to relevant FB groups. I give my two cents on philanthropic strategies over cruise ship dinners. It seems to be enough. For now.
When the full-time travel life no longer suits us emotionally or physically, I have a couple of non-profit organizations that I currently donate to whose boards might be of interest to me. I might volunteer to hold babies at a hospital, attend funerals of deceased veterans whose families are gone, or read books to the visually impaired. I have some fantasies that will use my knowledge, skills, abilities and (com)passion in the next phase of my retirement. We shall see.
I love, love, love this post. In part because I'm having the same experience as to losing my former-job-related knowledge and . . . wait for it . . . having knowledge of that happening. In fact, I've taken on some contract gigs to do what I did for my full-time career and the last go 'round I realized that I'd lost a step or three. But also because I 100% agree with your points about the importance of skill/lifelong learning, asking questions and thinking critically, and being comfortable being uncomfortable. Some or all of those things are precisely what helped me get through the contract gig I mentioned when I found myself more challenged than I'd have preferred. And the new knowledge, skills, and experience I've gained in other areas since FIREing have more than compensated for what I've lost elsewhere. And it's that stuff that's going to help me most in my next phase.
Thank you! I've toyed with the idea of doing a contract gig to relieve some "do we have enough" anxiety but I keep resisting - and time continues its march... and knowledge of how things are done fades... but I still am confident people will always need someone who isn't afraid to ask questions and appear dumb :D
Love this post Allen, and as I’m about to hit my 2 year retirement mark in May I can very much relate. I love that you’ve broken it down into skills you still and will always have. Some days I feel like I’ve “lost” some of the skills I used to have, but it’s more like I’m working different muscles now and I’m just as strong… arguably stronger.
I laughed out loud reading this. I often joke I used to be somebody. I had 43 years of professional work (the acting and exotic dancing don’t count), 30 of them in high-profile positions. Yeah, I know things. And my other wry joke? I have 43 years of knowledge that no one cares about any more. Now, I could have easily become a consultant or written some books. But, like a petulant child, I don’t want to and you can’t make me. A lifetime of a career where pleasing people was key to success with a HOST of people to please. (I was in non-profit work—there were donors, foundations, government officials, employees and the people we benefited). I am irrationally attached to owning my own time now. I resent deadlines—even self-imposed ones.
To your point, I now tell folks when they tell me I should write a book or a blog (I have Substack and YouTube account names and accounts I’ve never activated!), that I am now the CEO of the full-time travel club that is ME and my husband. I give advice I could charge $1000 a day for away for free to anyone who reaches out. I contribute randomly with stuff I know to relevant FB groups. I give my two cents on philanthropic strategies over cruise ship dinners. It seems to be enough. For now.
When the full-time travel life no longer suits us emotionally or physically, I have a couple of non-profit organizations that I currently donate to whose boards might be of interest to me. I might volunteer to hold babies at a hospital, attend funerals of deceased veterans whose families are gone, or read books to the visually impaired. I have some fantasies that will use my knowledge, skills, abilities and (com)passion in the next phase of my retirement. We shall see.
Oh I love this! Thank you!
I love, love, love this post. In part because I'm having the same experience as to losing my former-job-related knowledge and . . . wait for it . . . having knowledge of that happening. In fact, I've taken on some contract gigs to do what I did for my full-time career and the last go 'round I realized that I'd lost a step or three. But also because I 100% agree with your points about the importance of skill/lifelong learning, asking questions and thinking critically, and being comfortable being uncomfortable. Some or all of those things are precisely what helped me get through the contract gig I mentioned when I found myself more challenged than I'd have preferred. And the new knowledge, skills, and experience I've gained in other areas since FIREing have more than compensated for what I've lost elsewhere. And it's that stuff that's going to help me most in my next phase.
Thank you! I've toyed with the idea of doing a contract gig to relieve some "do we have enough" anxiety but I keep resisting - and time continues its march... and knowledge of how things are done fades... but I still am confident people will always need someone who isn't afraid to ask questions and appear dumb :D
Love this post Allen, and as I’m about to hit my 2 year retirement mark in May I can very much relate. I love that you’ve broken it down into skills you still and will always have. Some days I feel like I’ve “lost” some of the skills I used to have, but it’s more like I’m working different muscles now and I’m just as strong… arguably stronger.
Different muscles is a terrific way to think about it!
You've become an excellent chef also. That is a skill that will take you anywhere.